Electrical heating device.



E. BOARDMAN.

ELECTRICAL HEATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13. I916. aznzwzu IULY 8,1918.

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEETI INVENTOR. Franw sfloa niman BY I V v /%k/ 1/14, ATTORNEY F. BOARDMAN.

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

ZSHEETS-SHEET 2.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS BOiARDMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICAL HEATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Application filed July 13, 1916, Serial No. 109,061. Renewed July 8, 1918. Serial No. 248,941.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS BOARDMAN, a

citizen of the United States, residin at New York city in the county of New ork and State of liew York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electrical Heating Devices, of which the following is a speciadapted to. be used for melting of snow and dis inclosed within a sealed casingan accumulation of snow and ice.

ice in the vicinity of railway switches, movable point frogs and similar locations where it is essential to prevent freezing and the In their latter use the devices of my invention are particularly valuable in reducing the cost of maintaining the proper operation of railways during severe winter weather which, as is well known, is a considerable and costly factor.

An important feature of the present invention consists in providingseparable and portable heating units which may readily be assembled in ositions in such arrangement either multiple or series as required to proportion the resistance with relation to the voltage of the service available at the locality of their use. To this end the heatin units of my invention are preferably constructed in the form of self .contained watertight unitswherein the heatin coil provided with suitable exteriorly extended coupling means wherebythey may be coupled up in multiple without interfering with the moisture proof closure of the individual units. In consequence; in improved units may be completed and tig tly sealed at the point'of manufacture and are adapted to produce the required resistance by merely coupling up in the multiple arrangement.

suited to their particular location.

Further features of my invention consist in the construction and organization of the parts as hereinafter shown whereby the heatmg coils are roperly supported and insulated within t e lnclosing casing to permit of transporting the units without damage; in the arrangement wherein the terminal wires are so disposed that the cover may be removedto give access thereto without interfering with the connections and without danger of twistin the wires and also the provision of suita le ventilating means for the units permitting the air to escape under expansion.

The foregoing and other features and advantages'wlll be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing wherein the reference numerals of this description are applied to like parts in the several views.

In the drawing'Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a desirable embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation illustrating a typical installation of my improved heatin units and Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof. ig. 4 is aplan view of the heating unit of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation with the cover removed and Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a modified construction of heating unit.

In the improved embodiment of my inven- 3 and 4 threaded to the pipe. The heating coil 1 as shown is wound upon a corrugated supporting tube 5 of porcelain or other insulating material. This tube is sup orted upon a supporting bolt 6 passed theretl irougli and supported atv its ends in spacer blocks 8 and 9 also of suitable insulating material. As here shown the heating coil is formed of two spiral coils or sections reversely wound within suitable grooves in the tube 5. At one end the sections of the coil are connected to terminal bolts 10-10 in the spacer block 9 and the circuit is closed, between these bolts by means of a connecting wire or spanner 11. At the other end the ends of the coil sections are connected to terminal bolts 12 supported in the spacer block 8. The terminal wires 1415 are connected to the bolts 1212 and thereon and a clampin plate 21 is fitted to the bolt and secured between the nuts 20 as shown. This clamping plate 21 is instrumental in securingthe insulating tube, resistance and associated parts in position. To this end the plate is arranged to engage the end of the casing 2 and to be inclosed within the cap 4 whereby upon screwing the cap intothe casing the parts will be secured to prevent longitudinal movement within the casing and consequent damage. This ca or cover 4 is provided with a terminal 22 or a round connection 23.

A furtlier feature of my invention consists in providing the heating units with a suitable vent 24 to permit the escape of air therefrom under the expansion caused by the heat. By means of the vent pipe shown, the ressure is relieved and danger of impairing the water-tightness of the units is overcome. The vent pipe may desirabl extend upwardly merely sufficient to be a ove a possible water level.

As will be readily understood, the described heating units may be tightly sealed at the place of manufacture; the pipe connections being filled with a suitable waterproof compound and the threaded connections being suitably waterproofed. At the place of installation the units may be coupled up in suitable multiple or series arrangement and placed in position for instance as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In the approved installation there shown the units are merely placed in position between the ties and partially embedded in the ballast. As a result of this arrangement the units will operate to heat the ballast and ground beneath thereby taking the frost out of theround so that the water can flow off and t e heat and steam rising from the heated ballast and units will melt the snow and ice from the metal structure. The described manner of heati g has been found to be far more eltective t an the heating of the track structure proper as heretofore proposed.

It will thus be seen that my improved units may conveniently be installed for no brackets or fixtures of any kind are reuired. Moreover, by reason of their being sodetached .by units do not seriously interfere with the ordinary track work, such as surfacing/lining, renewal of ties, etc. These units may be readily installed in the fall and removed in the spring and may readily be varied to suit any particular form of electric current and adjusted to changes in current available and furthermore the heatin area may be made larger or smaller at wi lby merelysuitable spacing of the units.

The heating current may be controlled by a switch at any desired location so that the heating means so afforded mav be attended to by an employee having'other duties such as signalman, agent or operator thereby avoiding calling eater trackmen whose only duty would be to operate these switches.

- The improved form of scaled hcatin unit disclosed successfully ermits of their in-g installed in the desire. le manner and location described and by reason of the arrangement of the lead-in connections ermits of obtaining access to the terminals by removing the cap 3 without disturbing the seal of the lead-in wires.

In Fig. :6 I have illustrated a; modified form of sealed heating unit of m invention. As here shown a single coil resistance 1 is employed and is connected at one end by a connection 26 to the rod 6 through which the circuit is completed. The lead-1n wires are here passed through the cap 3 and attached respectively to the coil 1 and the end of the rod 6. The ends of the casing are shown filled with asbestos fiber or other suitable insulating material.

While I have herein disclosed a desirable embodiment of my invention it will be understood that it is subject to various modifications without departing from my invention. It is therefore intended that all matter contained herein shall be interpreted as illustrative and notin a limiting sense.

Having described my invention I claim,

1. A portable heating .unit of the character described comprising a water-tight protective casing, spacing members arranged therein, an insulating coil support carried by the s acing members, a heating coil surroun ing the'eoil support, exteriorly extending terminal wires connected with the heating coil and detachable coupling connections carried by the wires substantially as described.

2. A portable heatingunit of the character described comprising an open ended cylindrical casing, spacing members fitted thereto, an insulating coil support carried by the spacing members, a heatingcoil surrounding the coil support, terminal connections on the front. spacing member accessible through the casing openings exteriorly extended terminal wires connected to the terminals and passed through apertures in the wall of the casing adjacent the front end thereof, caps to seal the ends of the casing and means to secure the parts from longitudinal movement substantially as described.

3. A portable heating unit of the character described comprising an open ended cys lindrical casing, spacing members, fitted thereto. a supporting rod carried by the spacing members, an insulating tube carried on said rod and provided with a 'ooved peripheral surface, a heating coil fitted to the grooves, terminal connections on the front spacing member arranged to be accessible through the casing opening, exteriorly extended terminal wires connected to the ter-' minals and passed through apertures in the wall of the casing adjacent the front end thereof, screw caps*threaded to the ends of the casing, a clamping disk secured to the supporting rod and adapted to engage the end of the casing and to be secured in position by the cap for holding the parts against; longitudinal movement, detachable coupling means on the terminal Wires and said casing being sealed to make it watertight and provided with a vent pipe to re- 10 lieve the air pressure therein.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRANCIS BOARDMAN. 

